Optimizing Sunflower Cultivar Selection Under Climate Variability: Evidence from Coupled Meteorological-Growth Modeling in Arid Northwest China

Under the scenario of global climate warming, meteorological risks affecting sunflower cultivation in Xinjiang’s 10th Division were investigated by developing a meteorological-growth coupling model. Field experiments were conducted at three representative stations (A1–A3) during 2023–2024 to assess...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jianguo Mu, Jianqin Wang, Ruiying Ma, Zengshuai Lv, Hongye Dong, Yantao Liu, Wei Duan, Shengli Liu, Peng Wang, Xuekun Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Agronomy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/7/1724
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849409113854836736
author Jianguo Mu
Jianqin Wang
Ruiying Ma
Zengshuai Lv
Hongye Dong
Yantao Liu
Wei Duan
Shengli Liu
Peng Wang
Xuekun Zhang
author_facet Jianguo Mu
Jianqin Wang
Ruiying Ma
Zengshuai Lv
Hongye Dong
Yantao Liu
Wei Duan
Shengli Liu
Peng Wang
Xuekun Zhang
author_sort Jianguo Mu
collection DOAJ
description Under the scenario of global climate warming, meteorological risks affecting sunflower cultivation in Xinjiang’s 10th Division were investigated by developing a meteorological-growth coupling model. Field experiments were conducted at three representative stations (A1–A3) during 2023–2024 to assess temperature and precipitation impacts on yield and quality traits among sunflower cultivars with varying maturation periods. The main findings were: (1) Early-maturing cultivar B1 (RH3146) exhibited superior adaptation at low-temperature station A1, achieving 12% higher plant height and an 18% yield increase compared to regional averages. (2) At thermally variable station A2 (daily average temperature fluctuation ± 8 °C, precipitation CV = 25%), the late-maturing cultivar B3 showed enhanced stress resilience, achieving 35.6% grain crude fat content (15% greater than mid-maturing B2) along with 8–10% increases in seed setting rate and 100-grain weight. These improvements were potentially due to optimized photoassimilated allocation and activation of stress-responsive genes. (3) At station A3, characterized by high thermal-humidity variability (CV > 15%) during grain filling, B3 experienced a 15-day delay in maturation and a 3% reduction in ripeness. Two principal mitigation strategies are recommended: preferential selection of early-to-mid maturing cultivars in regions with thermal-humidity CV > 10%, improving yield stability by 23%, and optimization of sowing schedules based on accumulated temperature-precipitation modeling, reducing meteorological losses by 15%. These evidence-based recommendations provide critical insights for climate-resilient cultivar selection and precision agricultural management in meteorologically vulnerable agroecosystems.
format Article
id doaj-art-84ec41bfe5084c94a4bc80866b071b71
institution Kabale University
issn 2073-4395
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Agronomy
spelling doaj-art-84ec41bfe5084c94a4bc80866b071b712025-08-20T03:35:36ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952025-07-01157172410.3390/agronomy15071724Optimizing Sunflower Cultivar Selection Under Climate Variability: Evidence from Coupled Meteorological-Growth Modeling in Arid Northwest ChinaJianguo Mu0Jianqin Wang1Ruiying Ma2Zengshuai Lv3Hongye Dong4Yantao Liu5Wei Duan6Shengli Liu7Peng Wang8Xuekun Zhang9College of Agriculture, Tarim University, Alar 843300, ChinaCrop Research Institute of Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi 832000, ChinaCollege of Agriculture, Tarim University, Alar 843300, ChinaCrop Research Institute of Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi 832000, ChinaCrop Research Institute of Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi 832000, ChinaCrop Research Institute of Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi 832000, ChinaCrop Research Institute of Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi 832000, ChinaCrop Research Institute of Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi 832000, ChinaCrop Research Institute of Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi 832000, ChinaCollege of Agriculture/Key Laboratory of Oasis Agricultural Pest Management and Plant Protection Resources Utilization, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, ChinaUnder the scenario of global climate warming, meteorological risks affecting sunflower cultivation in Xinjiang’s 10th Division were investigated by developing a meteorological-growth coupling model. Field experiments were conducted at three representative stations (A1–A3) during 2023–2024 to assess temperature and precipitation impacts on yield and quality traits among sunflower cultivars with varying maturation periods. The main findings were: (1) Early-maturing cultivar B1 (RH3146) exhibited superior adaptation at low-temperature station A1, achieving 12% higher plant height and an 18% yield increase compared to regional averages. (2) At thermally variable station A2 (daily average temperature fluctuation ± 8 °C, precipitation CV = 25%), the late-maturing cultivar B3 showed enhanced stress resilience, achieving 35.6% grain crude fat content (15% greater than mid-maturing B2) along with 8–10% increases in seed setting rate and 100-grain weight. These improvements were potentially due to optimized photoassimilated allocation and activation of stress-responsive genes. (3) At station A3, characterized by high thermal-humidity variability (CV > 15%) during grain filling, B3 experienced a 15-day delay in maturation and a 3% reduction in ripeness. Two principal mitigation strategies are recommended: preferential selection of early-to-mid maturing cultivars in regions with thermal-humidity CV > 10%, improving yield stability by 23%, and optimization of sowing schedules based on accumulated temperature-precipitation modeling, reducing meteorological losses by 15%. These evidence-based recommendations provide critical insights for climate-resilient cultivar selection and precision agricultural management in meteorologically vulnerable agroecosystems.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/7/1724sunflower growth periodmeteorological sensitivitygrain quality
spellingShingle Jianguo Mu
Jianqin Wang
Ruiying Ma
Zengshuai Lv
Hongye Dong
Yantao Liu
Wei Duan
Shengli Liu
Peng Wang
Xuekun Zhang
Optimizing Sunflower Cultivar Selection Under Climate Variability: Evidence from Coupled Meteorological-Growth Modeling in Arid Northwest China
Agronomy
sunflower growth period
meteorological sensitivity
grain quality
title Optimizing Sunflower Cultivar Selection Under Climate Variability: Evidence from Coupled Meteorological-Growth Modeling in Arid Northwest China
title_full Optimizing Sunflower Cultivar Selection Under Climate Variability: Evidence from Coupled Meteorological-Growth Modeling in Arid Northwest China
title_fullStr Optimizing Sunflower Cultivar Selection Under Climate Variability: Evidence from Coupled Meteorological-Growth Modeling in Arid Northwest China
title_full_unstemmed Optimizing Sunflower Cultivar Selection Under Climate Variability: Evidence from Coupled Meteorological-Growth Modeling in Arid Northwest China
title_short Optimizing Sunflower Cultivar Selection Under Climate Variability: Evidence from Coupled Meteorological-Growth Modeling in Arid Northwest China
title_sort optimizing sunflower cultivar selection under climate variability evidence from coupled meteorological growth modeling in arid northwest china
topic sunflower growth period
meteorological sensitivity
grain quality
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/7/1724
work_keys_str_mv AT jianguomu optimizingsunflowercultivarselectionunderclimatevariabilityevidencefromcoupledmeteorologicalgrowthmodelinginaridnorthwestchina
AT jianqinwang optimizingsunflowercultivarselectionunderclimatevariabilityevidencefromcoupledmeteorologicalgrowthmodelinginaridnorthwestchina
AT ruiyingma optimizingsunflowercultivarselectionunderclimatevariabilityevidencefromcoupledmeteorologicalgrowthmodelinginaridnorthwestchina
AT zengshuailv optimizingsunflowercultivarselectionunderclimatevariabilityevidencefromcoupledmeteorologicalgrowthmodelinginaridnorthwestchina
AT hongyedong optimizingsunflowercultivarselectionunderclimatevariabilityevidencefromcoupledmeteorologicalgrowthmodelinginaridnorthwestchina
AT yantaoliu optimizingsunflowercultivarselectionunderclimatevariabilityevidencefromcoupledmeteorologicalgrowthmodelinginaridnorthwestchina
AT weiduan optimizingsunflowercultivarselectionunderclimatevariabilityevidencefromcoupledmeteorologicalgrowthmodelinginaridnorthwestchina
AT shengliliu optimizingsunflowercultivarselectionunderclimatevariabilityevidencefromcoupledmeteorologicalgrowthmodelinginaridnorthwestchina
AT pengwang optimizingsunflowercultivarselectionunderclimatevariabilityevidencefromcoupledmeteorologicalgrowthmodelinginaridnorthwestchina
AT xuekunzhang optimizingsunflowercultivarselectionunderclimatevariabilityevidencefromcoupledmeteorologicalgrowthmodelinginaridnorthwestchina